This is the first of a regular feature on the Ibex Earth blog where we look to find some of the most interesting environmental news stories throughout the week. Today's stories include the threat to the world's oceans and how Brazilian authorities are looking to establish their very own Wikipedia for species found in the Amazon...
Wildlife warning over EU Funding
Funding from Europe worth more than £400m to promote wildlife on farmland in the UK could be about to be stopped, conservationists warn.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13852053
Trees help stem Desertification
A UN led pilot scheme highlights how trees can help protect people in drylands and stem the spread of desertification.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13767255
World's oceans move into 'extinction phase'
The next generation may lose the opportunity to swim over coral reefs or eat certain species of fish, scientists have warned, as the world's oceans move into a 'phase of extinction' due to human impacts such as over-fishing and climate change.
Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8587354/Worlds-oceans-move-into-extinction-phase.html
Brazil to create 'botanical Wikipedia' to catalogue the Amazon
Brazil is to create a ‘botanical Wikipedia' in attempt to catalogue thousands of plant species in the Amazon for future generations.
Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/8588013/Brazil-to-create-botanical-Wikipedia-to-catalogue-the-Amazon.html
Price of solar panels to drop to $1 by 2013, report forecasts
Ernst & Young analysis suggests that falling solar and rising fossil fuel prices could make large-scale installations cost-competitive without government support within a decade
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/20/solar-panel-price-drop
Nature is not just about living things – it's mountains and minerals too
An article by the Guardian’s Murray Gray about why our management of the environment should not focus entirely on species and habitats.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/16/price-nature-oil-gold-wind-power
Rural poor should not be excluded from REDD Projects
Global study finds forests provide one-fifth of household income in rural communities and says access for them should be prioritised in REDD-type conservation projects.
Read more: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/939007/warning_over_redd_projects_excluding_rural_poor_from_forests.html
Showing posts with label biodiversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biodiversity. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Thursday, 16 June 2011
This week's 'Top Environmental Stories'
Top Environmental News Stories from week commencing Monday 13th June 2011.
This feature on the Ibex Earth Blogger site looks to provide you with an overview of some of the top environmental news stories during the week commencing Monday 13th June 2011. It is looking to become a regular feature of our blog and any feedback would be greatly appreciated - projects@ibexearth.com.
Bizarre Seal Plans under fire: Environmental campaigners ask why the Scottish government wants to protect land sites used by only half of its seals, when one species is in decline - .http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13780738
A rural worker has been shot dead in Brazil's Amazon, the sixth murder in a month in the region, amid growing conflict over land and logging - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13772238
Good news a species that was thought previously extinct has been found alive and well, the Arabian 'unicorn' is no longer extinct after the IUCN reintroduce it back into the wild. - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/16/arabian-oryx-antelope-extinct
New little ice age in store? Scientists are predicting that we could soon be on the verge on a mini ice age after research on the Sun's radiation - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8578014/New-Little-Ice-Age-in-store.html
Another positive story about the wild populations of buzzards and red kites - both species numbers are rising! Here's - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/country-diary/8579259/Buzzards-and-red-kites-are-on-the-rise.html
If you have a story for next week then let us know!
This feature on the Ibex Earth Blogger site looks to provide you with an overview of some of the top environmental news stories during the week commencing Monday 13th June 2011. It is looking to become a regular feature of our blog and any feedback would be greatly appreciated - projects@ibexearth.com.
Bizarre Seal Plans under fire: Environmental campaigners ask why the Scottish government wants to protect land sites used by only half of its seals, when one species is in decline - .http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13780738
A rural worker has been shot dead in Brazil's Amazon, the sixth murder in a month in the region, amid growing conflict over land and logging - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13772238
Good news a species that was thought previously extinct has been found alive and well, the Arabian 'unicorn' is no longer extinct after the IUCN reintroduce it back into the wild. - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/16/arabian-oryx-antelope-extinct
New little ice age in store? Scientists are predicting that we could soon be on the verge on a mini ice age after research on the Sun's radiation - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8578014/New-Little-Ice-Age-in-store.html
Another positive story about the wild populations of buzzards and red kites - both species numbers are rising! Here's - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthcomment/country-diary/8579259/Buzzards-and-red-kites-are-on-the-rise.html
If you have a story for next week then let us know!
Ministers back binding European Forest Agreement
Ministers back binding European forest agreement
By Mark Kinver, Environment reporter, BBC News, Oslo
Ministers have agreed to back plans to introduce a legally binding agreement to protect Europe's forests. Delegates also agreed to adopt resolutions that would help shape forest policy over the next decade.
On Tuesday, a report concluded that sustainable forestry management was essential if the EU was to reach its emission goals.
The ministerial agreement was signed at the sixth Forest Europe conference in Oslo, Norway.
The Norwegian host chairman, Rural Affairs Minister Lars Peder Brekk, said the signing of two ministerial declarations was a fitting end to Norway's four-year leadership of the Forest Europe process.
As well as signing the declaration to begin negotiations to establish a legally binding agreement (LBA), delegates also agreed to set a number of targets to be achieved by 2020.
These included all European countries implementing a national forest programme, which needed to contain climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Ministers also agreed to cut the rate of biodiversity loss within forest habitats by half, and take steps to eliminate illegal logging.
Poland's minister, Janusz Zaleski, said that the LBA declaration presented a "new chapter" in the management of Europe's forests.
However, he added that nations needed to ensure that any agreement would need the legal weight required to deliver progress on the ground.
"In order to effectively protect Europe's forests, we must not follow the example of other international processes, such as climate negotiations.
"Therefore it is important to assess the progress of improving the state of Europe's forests.
Mr Zaleski told reporters that Poland intended to use its six-month presidency of the EU, which begins in July, to help promote the process.
Binding concerns
But there was not universal support for adopting a legally binding agreement.
Sweden's Rural Affairs Minister Eskil Erlandsson told the conference that while he supported the concept of sustainable forest managment, he favoured a voluntary approach rather than an LBA.
"I do not believe in common legislation for forests across the pan-European region. Put simply, one size does not fit all," he said.
"We need to recognise the different geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions.
"Therefore, my conclusion is that the voluntary track is the best way of supporting the development and implementation of sustainable forest management."
However, he said he signed the declaration in order for negotiations to begin.
Responding to the minister's concerns, Mr Brekk said: "The most important thing is that all countries agree that we are start up this process.
"They all see that it is necesssary to have an agreement to secure a sustainable forest policy in the future.
"Of course, we then have to go through the negotiations in order to find out what each country thinks during this process."
As the conference closed and Spain took over the Forest Europe leadership, Mr Brekk was asked to comment on concerns that had been raised about Norway's high-profile $1bn climate deal with Indonesia, which included a two-year logging moratorium.
Media reports said environmental groups were unhappy that the fine detail of the deal had been influenced by logging industry lobbyists.
Mr Brekk explained that it fell outside his ministerial responsibilities, but observed:
"The partnership is still very much alive - of course it is," he told BBC News.
"For Norway - all forests are important, whether it be European forests or tropical forests."
By Mark Kinver, Environment reporter, BBC News, Oslo
Ministers have agreed to back plans to introduce a legally binding agreement to protect Europe's forests. Delegates also agreed to adopt resolutions that would help shape forest policy over the next decade.
On Tuesday, a report concluded that sustainable forestry management was essential if the EU was to reach its emission goals.
The ministerial agreement was signed at the sixth Forest Europe conference in Oslo, Norway.
The Norwegian host chairman, Rural Affairs Minister Lars Peder Brekk, said the signing of two ministerial declarations was a fitting end to Norway's four-year leadership of the Forest Europe process.
As well as signing the declaration to begin negotiations to establish a legally binding agreement (LBA), delegates also agreed to set a number of targets to be achieved by 2020.
These included all European countries implementing a national forest programme, which needed to contain climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Ministers also agreed to cut the rate of biodiversity loss within forest habitats by half, and take steps to eliminate illegal logging.
Poland's minister, Janusz Zaleski, said that the LBA declaration presented a "new chapter" in the management of Europe's forests.
However, he added that nations needed to ensure that any agreement would need the legal weight required to deliver progress on the ground.
"In order to effectively protect Europe's forests, we must not follow the example of other international processes, such as climate negotiations.
"Therefore it is important to assess the progress of improving the state of Europe's forests.
Mr Zaleski told reporters that Poland intended to use its six-month presidency of the EU, which begins in July, to help promote the process.
Binding concerns
But there was not universal support for adopting a legally binding agreement.
Sweden's Rural Affairs Minister Eskil Erlandsson told the conference that while he supported the concept of sustainable forest managment, he favoured a voluntary approach rather than an LBA.
"I do not believe in common legislation for forests across the pan-European region. Put simply, one size does not fit all," he said.
"We need to recognise the different geo-climatic and socio-economic conditions.
"Therefore, my conclusion is that the voluntary track is the best way of supporting the development and implementation of sustainable forest management."
However, he said he signed the declaration in order for negotiations to begin.
Responding to the minister's concerns, Mr Brekk said: "The most important thing is that all countries agree that we are start up this process.
"They all see that it is necesssary to have an agreement to secure a sustainable forest policy in the future.
"Of course, we then have to go through the negotiations in order to find out what each country thinks during this process."
As the conference closed and Spain took over the Forest Europe leadership, Mr Brekk was asked to comment on concerns that had been raised about Norway's high-profile $1bn climate deal with Indonesia, which included a two-year logging moratorium.
Media reports said environmental groups were unhappy that the fine detail of the deal had been influenced by logging industry lobbyists.
Mr Brekk explained that it fell outside his ministerial responsibilities, but observed:
"The partnership is still very much alive - of course it is," he told BBC News.
"For Norway - all forests are important, whether it be European forests or tropical forests."
Friday, 27 May 2011
Introducing our new Ibex Earth Blogger Site...
The Ibex Earth Blogger Site is changing - We will now be using this site as an area where we will be uploading videos and news from our Environmental & Conservation Partners, together with some of the more entertaining environmental videos that promote conservation and the ongoing protection of the planet's biodiversity.
We are all for making environmental issues more interesting and entertaining, which is why we start the first new blog with a clip from the fantastic Conservation International who use Harrison Ford in an interesting way to promote the preservation of the planet's rainforests, which involves chest hair and wax strips...bet he didn't get that on the set of Indiana Jones...
Harrison Ford is one of the more proactive celebrities in terms of raising environmental awareness and if only more would get involved and wax all their chest hair for the cause!
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Join the 2011 Expedition
Join the Adventure of a Lifetime and help save Arthur Conan Doyle's 'lost world'
In April 2011 Ibex Earth will be travelling back to Mount Roraima, Venezuela with the star of BBC 2's 'Decade of Discovery' Stewart McPherson and we are looking for ten people to travel with us and see one of the world's most breathtaking natural wonders as part of The Lost World Project.
The project looks to safeguard the long-term future of Mount Roraima, which is the South American plateau that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write his famous adventure novel 'The Lost World' and has most recently been the major influence behind Disney Pixar's animated blockbuster 'UP'. Sadly Mount Roraima is now under threat from unregulated/unsustainable tourism, illegal goldmining and the introduction of non-endemic species of flora and fauna. The Lost World Project looks to raise funds to address these issues via the making of a broadcast quality documentary, which will be premiered at the Royal Geographical Society on 30th June 2010 and then on national television in late 2011/early 2012.
The filming aspect of The Lost World Project was completed last Autumn when Ibex Earth sent a critically acclaimed film crew to Mount Roraima with ten university students from the UK. The footage taken in Venezuela will form part of a fifty minute documentary that will air on national television in late 2011/early 2012. This part of the project has already won a number of awards and has been endorsed by both the Royal Geographical Society and the Zoological Society of London.
We are now looking for the final ten people to form the next expedition to Mount Roraima and would like to invite you to journey with us to a land that will leave you with memories to last a life time. The Itinerary of the April expedition is available to download directly from the Ibex Earth website on the link below:
http://www.ibexearth.com/projects/lost-world.html
If you would like any further information about the project please email chris.livemore@ibexearth.com
In April 2011 Ibex Earth will be travelling back to Mount Roraima, Venezuela with the star of BBC 2's 'Decade of Discovery' Stewart McPherson and we are looking for ten people to travel with us and see one of the world's most breathtaking natural wonders as part of The Lost World Project.
The project looks to safeguard the long-term future of Mount Roraima, which is the South American plateau that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write his famous adventure novel 'The Lost World' and has most recently been the major influence behind Disney Pixar's animated blockbuster 'UP'. Sadly Mount Roraima is now under threat from unregulated/unsustainable tourism, illegal goldmining and the introduction of non-endemic species of flora and fauna. The Lost World Project looks to raise funds to address these issues via the making of a broadcast quality documentary, which will be premiered at the Royal Geographical Society on 30th June 2010 and then on national television in late 2011/early 2012.
The filming aspect of The Lost World Project was completed last Autumn when Ibex Earth sent a critically acclaimed film crew to Mount Roraima with ten university students from the UK. The footage taken in Venezuela will form part of a fifty minute documentary that will air on national television in late 2011/early 2012. This part of the project has already won a number of awards and has been endorsed by both the Royal Geographical Society and the Zoological Society of London.
We are now looking for the final ten people to form the next expedition to Mount Roraima and would like to invite you to journey with us to a land that will leave you with memories to last a life time. The Itinerary of the April expedition is available to download directly from the Ibex Earth website on the link below:
http://www.ibexearth.com/projects/lost-world.html
If you would like any further information about the project please email chris.livemore@ibexearth.com
Monday, 6 December 2010
Guide to writing an Environmetal Policy
The Ibex Earth Guide to writing an Environmental Policy...
At Ibex Earth we feel that every business should have its own Environmental Policy - for us this is so a business can improve its environmental performance and adopt a more environmentally sustainable business practice. For example, you can ensure that your procurement process takes into account ethical, environmental and sustainable considerations - thus placing pressure on suppliers to ensure that all of their goods are from respectable sources.
An Environmental Policy allows a business to demonstrate its 'green ethos' to the wider world or to show staff that you do actually take your environmental responsibilities seriously - an ever increasing necessity in today's market place, as 'green' issues continue to grow in importance upon the political, business and consumer agendas. Promoting your new 'green' policy can attract publicity and new clientele.
However, if you've opted not to have an Environmental Policy for whatever reason, you really should reconsider because by acting on becoming more sustainable / environmentally responsible you will actually save money e.g. by opting to reduce your carbon emissions you will in the process lower your fuel bill - the same can be said for water reduction and improving the amount of recycling your business can do.
So then, not only does an Environmental Policy help the global and local environment, it also has a great deal of potential to help you reduce your overall costs - surely it is worth considering adopting an Environmental Policy in today's financial market? Below is Ibex Earth's very own Environmental Policy, please feel free to adopt our own policy as yours - you will be surprised how easy it is...
Ibex Earth's Environmental Policy
We recognise the way in which we operate has an impact upon the environment and are committed to ensuring that we run a sustainable and environmentally responsible business practice. We also acknowledge that our environmental performance is important to our staff, clients and other stakeholders and we will look to minimise our impacts and continually improve our environmental performance.
In seeking to improve our environmental performance, we are addressing the following areas, in particular:
Energy Consumption
We will look to reduce our energy consumption and implement energy efficiency measures in our building when economically feasible.
Water Consumption
We will look to reduce our water consumption and implement water saving measures in our buildings when economically feasible.
Waste Management
We have introduced a reduce, reuse and recycle waste management system, in which we will look to minimise the amount of waste that our business produces and improve our recycling rates. We encourage that all correspondence is conducted via email in order to minimise the amount of paper that we use.
Transport
We will look to maximise the use of public transport and avoid private car use whenever possible. If there are alternatives to air travel, e.g. travelling by rail, then we will ensure that we choose the alternative travel method. We encourage all staff to travel to work via public transport
Procurement
We will take into account the environmental credentials of all suppliers when awarding contracts and purchase environmentally responsible products when possible. We will give preference to suppliers who
Communication
We will share our environmental policy and objectives by communicating both internally and externally.
Review
We will review our environmental policy on an annual basis and revise accordingly to ensure that we continue to improve our environmental performance.
At Ibex Earth we feel that every business should have its own Environmental Policy - for us this is so a business can improve its environmental performance and adopt a more environmentally sustainable business practice. For example, you can ensure that your procurement process takes into account ethical, environmental and sustainable considerations - thus placing pressure on suppliers to ensure that all of their goods are from respectable sources.
An Environmental Policy allows a business to demonstrate its 'green ethos' to the wider world or to show staff that you do actually take your environmental responsibilities seriously - an ever increasing necessity in today's market place, as 'green' issues continue to grow in importance upon the political, business and consumer agendas. Promoting your new 'green' policy can attract publicity and new clientele.
However, if you've opted not to have an Environmental Policy for whatever reason, you really should reconsider because by acting on becoming more sustainable / environmentally responsible you will actually save money e.g. by opting to reduce your carbon emissions you will in the process lower your fuel bill - the same can be said for water reduction and improving the amount of recycling your business can do.
So then, not only does an Environmental Policy help the global and local environment, it also has a great deal of potential to help you reduce your overall costs - surely it is worth considering adopting an Environmental Policy in today's financial market? Below is Ibex Earth's very own Environmental Policy, please feel free to adopt our own policy as yours - you will be surprised how easy it is...
Ibex Earth's Environmental Policy
We recognise the way in which we operate has an impact upon the environment and are committed to ensuring that we run a sustainable and environmentally responsible business practice. We also acknowledge that our environmental performance is important to our staff, clients and other stakeholders and we will look to minimise our impacts and continually improve our environmental performance.
In seeking to improve our environmental performance, we are addressing the following areas, in particular:
Energy Consumption
We will look to reduce our energy consumption and implement energy efficiency measures in our building when economically feasible.
Water Consumption
We will look to reduce our water consumption and implement water saving measures in our buildings when economically feasible.
Waste Management
We have introduced a reduce, reuse and recycle waste management system, in which we will look to minimise the amount of waste that our business produces and improve our recycling rates. We encourage that all correspondence is conducted via email in order to minimise the amount of paper that we use.
Transport
We will look to maximise the use of public transport and avoid private car use whenever possible. If there are alternatives to air travel, e.g. travelling by rail, then we will ensure that we choose the alternative travel method. We encourage all staff to travel to work via public transport
Procurement
We will take into account the environmental credentials of all suppliers when awarding contracts and purchase environmentally responsible products when possible. We will give preference to suppliers who
Communication
We will share our environmental policy and objectives by communicating both internally and externally.
Review
We will review our environmental policy on an annual basis and revise accordingly to ensure that we continue to improve our environmental performance.
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